Parish Council's Role
Protecting the village for us and future generations to enjoy
The Parish Council is the first level of democracy providing local voice on local affairs.
The Parish Council comprises of 9 members elected every 4 years to represent the residents of the Parish. Councillors must be 18 years of age or over and live or work within 3 miles of the village. In law, the Council is a single corporate body and the decisions it takes are the responsibility of the Council as a whole. Councillors work as volunteers receiving no remuneration.
The Clerk is an employee of the Council and undertakes the Council’s instructions, offering advice in relation to law and policy. As well as providing information to make effective and informed decisions, she is also responsible for the financial records.
The Council’s Role
What the Council owns and provides:
- As the registered owner of the village green, the Council manages, maintains and protects the area, including the trees.
- The Council owns the Village Hall although the day-to-day management is delegated to the Management Committee. The Council is able to provide grants for maintenance as required.
- The Council owns, inspects and maintains the children’s play area.
- The pond is also the Council’s responsibility being part of the registered Green.
- The Council owns and maintains the war memorial, sundial, village sign, flagpole, notice boards, bus shelter, seats and some village paths/roads.
- The allotments are also the Parish Council’s responsibility, with the Council managing the tenancies and maintenance.
- The village litter bins/dog bins are provided by the Council. The Council organises the weekly emptying by Chichester District Council.
- As well as offering financial support and encouragement to local organisations and community groups, the Council also offers financial support to organisations outside of the Parish which demonstrate a benefit to Parish residents.
How you can keep you to date with the Council:
- Two notice boards are erected on the Green, which display up-to-date information from both within and outside the Parish.
- The Council aims to distribute a quarterly newsletter to every household in the village via the Ad Vincula Parish Magazine distribution team. More urgent messages are published in the Parish Magazine.
- The Council provides and maintains the village website.
- An Annual Parish Meeting is held each April and all residents are invited to attend to receive the Chairman’s report and to raise any matters of concern.
- The Council provides a dedicated telephone line and e-mail address for the Council to encourage communication to the Clerk.
- The Clerk to be available by appointment if required.
- A post box for correspondence is provided at the village hall and is emptied weekly.
- A public questions section is included on every Parish Council agenda to allow members of the public to address the Council.
What the Council does for you:
- Respond to consultation documents received from Government departments, local authorities and other bodies and organisations.
Consult with West Sussex County Council, Chichester District Council and other organisations as necessary. - As a statutory consultee, the Council displays details of planning applications on the Parish Council notice boards and responds, as required.
- The Council consults with parishioners, local groups and organisations when necessary.
- Members attend courses, training sessions and meetings organised by West Sussex County Council, Chichester District Council and other organisations to be kept fully informed.